Harrison County

Key demographics — Harrison County, Missouri

• Population size:

  • 8,157 (2020 Decennial Census)
  • Change since 2010: about -9% (2010 ≈ 8,957)

• Age:

  • Median age: ~44 years
  • Under 18: ~22%
  • 65 and over: ~23%

• Gender:

  • Female: ~50%
  • Male: ~50%

• Race and ethnicity (ACS 5-year):

  • White (non-Hispanic): ~95–96%
  • Black or African American: ~0.5–0.6%
  • American Indian/Alaska Native: ~0.7%
  • Asian: ~0.2–0.3%
  • Two or more races: ~2–3%
  • Hispanic or Latino (any race): ~2%

• Households and housing (ACS 5-year):

  • Households: ~3,350
  • Average household size: ~2.28
  • Family households: ~61% of households
  • Married-couple families: ~52% of households
  • Nonfamily households: ~39%
  • Individuals living alone: ~33% (about 15% age 65+ living alone)
  • Owner-occupied housing rate: ~77%

Insights: Small, aging, predominantly White rural county with high homeownership, modest household size, and a near 50/50 gender split.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; 2019–2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates)

Harrison County, MO (2020 population 8,157; ~11 people per sq. mile) shows moderate email adoption.

• Estimated email users: 5,700 residents (70% of population).
• Age distribution of users: 13–17 ~370; 18–34 ~1,220; 35–64 ~2,910; 65+ ~1,200.
• Gender split among users: ~51% female (≈2,900) and 49% male (≈2,800).

Digital access and usage trends:

• ~72% of households have a broadband subscription; ~87–89% have a computer or smartphone.
• ~18–20% of households lack home internet; ~10–12% are mobile‑only.
• Email engagement is highest among working‑age adults and lowest among seniors, tracking broadband and smartphone access.

Local density/connectivity facts:

• Strongest fixed‑internet and cellular coverage in Bethany and the I‑35 corridor; outlying areas rely more on DSL and fixed wireless with lower speeds.
• Fiber from regional cooperatives/providers is expanding but remains uneven; 4G LTE is widespread, while 5G availability is limited.

Insights: The county’s dispersed settlement pattern and older age profile depress email adoption relative to urban Missouri. Expanding fiber and affordable plans would most improve usage among 65+ and remote households, narrowing the county’s digital gap.

Mobile phone usage in Harrison County, Missouri — 2025 snapshot

At-a-glance user estimates

• Population and households: ~8,200 residents and ~3,400 households (2020–2024 ACS/Census frame).
• Adult mobile phone users: ~5,900 adults use a mobile phone (≈93% of adults).
• Adult smartphone users: ~5,200 adults use a smartphone (≈82% of adults). Missouri statewide adult smartphone ownership aligns with the national rate (mid-to-high 80s), so Harrison County runs a few points lower.
• Cellular-only internet households (no fixed home broadband): ≈26% of households, notably higher than Missouri overall (~16%).
• Households with at least one cellular data plan: ≈74% of households (statewide near ~85%).
• Multi-line households: ~58% of households maintain 2+ active mobile lines, reflecting multi-user homes and work/personal splits.

Demographic breakdown (modeled from county age structure, Pew smartphone adoption by age, and ACS income/education mix)

• By age (share of adults using smartphones):
  • 18–29: ~95–96% adoption; ≈950 users.
  • 30–49: ~94–95% adoption; ≈1,700 users.
  • 50–64: ~82–84% adoption; ≈1,350 users.
  • 65+: ~60–63% adoption; ≈1,200 users.
  • Result: overall adult smartphone adoption ≈82%, pulled down by an older-than-state age profile.
• By income (household-level smartphone access):
  • <$35k: ~70–75% have a smartphone plan in the household.
  • $35–75k: ~85–88%.
  • $75k+: ~94–97%.
  • Harrison County’s income distribution skews lower than Missouri, contributing to lower overall smartphone prevalence and higher prepaid usage.
• Plan types:
  • Prepaid share is materially higher than Missouri’s average. Estimate 30–35% of active lines are prepaid in Harrison County versus ~22–25% statewide, driven by price sensitivity and credit-screening frictions.
• Device mix and replacement:
  • Higher share of budget Android devices and older iPhone models than state average.
  • Replacement cycles run longer (median ~3.5–4.0 years vs ~3.0 statewide), reflecting cost considerations.

Digital infrastructure and performance

• Radio access networks:
  • All three national carriers (AT&T/FirstNet, Verizon, T‑Mobile) operate in the county.
  • 5G low-band coverage blankets population centers and the I‑35 corridor near Bethany; LTE remains primary in outlying rural tracts.
  • Mid-band 5G (C‑band/2.5 GHz) is available in and around Bethany and along I‑35 but is spotty elsewhere; most rural areas rely on low-band 5G or LTE.
• Typical user speeds (field-test composites and rural-MO norms):
  • Bethany core: low-band 5G median ~40–100 Mbps down; LTE typically ~10–30 Mbps.
  • Outside townships: LTE often ~5–20 Mbps down; uplink can fall below 3 Mbps at cell edge.
  • Indoor coverage degrades in metal-roof and large-lot homes; external antennas or in-home femtocells are common remedies.
• Fixed wireless and offload:
  • 5G Home/Fixed Wireless Access from Verizon and T‑Mobile is marketed in and around Bethany; eligibility thins quickly in lower-density blocks.
  • Public Wi‑Fi offload points: library, schools, select businesses along US‑136 and I‑35 exits.
• Fiber and backhaul:
  • Local cooperatives (notably GRM Networks/Grand River Mutual) have expanded fiber-to-the-home in and around towns and along many rural routes using state/federal grants (RDOF/ReConnect), improving mobile backhaul and enabling carrier upgrades on key sectors.
• Coverage gaps:
  • Terrain and tree cover create dead zones in valleys and far northern/western sections away from highways. Voice/SMS reliability remains higher than data at fringes. FirstNet band 14 improves public-safety reach along corridors.

How Harrison County differs from Missouri overall

• Adoption level: Adult smartphone adoption is a few percentage points lower than the state’s mid-to-high-80s benchmark due to an older age profile and lower incomes.
• Access mode: A markedly higher share of cellular-only households (≈26% vs ~16% statewide), reflecting patchy cable availability and cost barriers to fixed service, though recent fiber builds are narrowing this gap near towns.
• Plan economics: Larger prepaid footprint (≈30–35% of lines) and longer device replacement cycles than urban Missouri.
• Network mix: Heavier reliance on LTE and low-band 5G, with limited mid-band 5G density outside Bethany, leading to more variable speeds and weaker indoor performance relative to metro counties.
• Offload behavior: Greater dependence on public Wi‑Fi and school/work hotspots, especially after the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024, which pushed some households from fixed broadband to mobile-only or lower-tier plans.

Actionable insights

• Capacity and coverage upgrades on mid-band 5G sectors around Bethany and along rural corridors would yield outsized user-perceived gains versus current low-band/LTE mix.
• Continued fiber buildouts by local co-ops reduce the county’s cellular-only share and improve mobile backhaul, stabilizing speeds.
• Prepaid-oriented, budget-friendly plans and device financing remain critical to growth; bundling with fixed wireless where eligible can improve retention.
• Public-safety and resilience investments (AT&T FirstNet Band 14, backup power on rural sites) are disproportionately valuable given weather-related outages and sparse site grids.

Notes on methodology

• Figures are 2024–2025 estimates derived from the 2020 Census/ACS household counts and age mix, Pew Research Center smartphone adoption by age, Missouri rural adoption differentials, FCC coverage filings, and rural Midwest performance norms. They are suitable for planning and benchmarking at county scale.

Harrison County, Missouri — social media profile (concise)

Baseline

• Population: 8,157 (2020 Census). Adults 18+: ≈6,300 (est.). Teens 13–17: ≈520 (est.).
• Gender: ≈50.5% female, ≈49.5% male (U.S. Census Bureau).

Most-used platforms (adults), percentages from Pew Research Center (2024), with estimated local adult users in Harrison County shown in parentheses

• YouTube: 83% of adults (≈5,230)
• Facebook: 68% (≈4,280)
• Instagram: 47% (≈2,960)
• Pinterest: 35% (≈2,200)
• TikTok: 33% (≈2,080)
• LinkedIn: 30% (≈1,890)
• Snapchat: 27% (≈1,700)
• WhatsApp: 26% (≈1,640)
• X (Twitter): 22% (≈1,390)
• Reddit: 22% (≈1,390)
• Nextdoor: 19% (≈1,200)

Notes: These adult platform percentages are from Pew’s 2024 national survey and closely track rural usage; figures in parentheses are county-level estimates obtained by applying those rates to the local adult population.

Youth snapshot (teens 13–17), Pew Research Center (2023) with local estimates

• YouTube: 93% (≈485 teens)
• Instagram: 62% (≈320)
• TikTok: 63% (≈330)
• Snapchat: 60% (≈310)
• Facebook: 33% (≈170)
• X (Twitter): ~20% (≈100)

Age-group patterns (how usage skews locally)

• 18–29: Very high on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat; Facebook used but less central than older groups.
• 30–49: Broadest multi-platform use; Facebook and YouTube dominate, Instagram growing; TikTok usage present but selective.
• 50–64: Facebook and YouTube lead; Pinterest meaningful (home, crafts, recipes); lower on Instagram/TikTok.
• 65+: Facebook primary, YouTube for how‑to/news; limited use of newer platforms.

Gender dynamics (typical splits reflected locally)

• Women: Higher engagement on Facebook and Pinterest; strong use of Instagram for family/kids, community events, small business.
• Men: Higher relative use of YouTube, Reddit, and X; Facebook still widely used for groups and marketplace.

Behavioral trends in Harrison County (rural-MO pattern)

• Facebook is the digital town square: local government, schools, churches, fairs, buy‑sell‑trade, obituaries, road/weather updates. Groups and Messenger drive most community coordination.
• Short‑form video is rising: Reels/TikTok clips of school sports, youth activities, local businesses; often cross-posted to Facebook for reach.
• YouTube is utilitarian: how‑to/repair (ag equipment, small engines), hunting/fishing, local sports highlights.
• Messaging > public posting among youth: Snapchat and Instagram DMs for day‑to‑day coordination; Facebook used for announcements and parents.
• Content that performs: people-centric posts (recognizable faces), high school sports, farm/ranch life, weather alerts, local deals/giveaways, event reminders with clear calls to action.
• Timing: Peaks before work (6–8 a.m.), lunch (12–1 p.m.), and evenings (7–10 p.m.); severe weather/road condition posts spike engagement in real time.
• Commerce: Facebook Marketplace and local buy‑sell groups see steady activity; local service providers gain traction with proof-of-work photos and quick response in comments/DMs.

Method and sources

• Population and gender: U.S. Census Bureau (2020 Decennial Census; QuickFacts).
• Platform penetration: Pew Research Center, Social Media Use in 2024 (adults) and Teens, Social Media and Technology 2023 (teens).
• County figures are estimates computed by applying Pew platform usage rates to Harrison County’s adult and teen population baselines.